Queen Anne’s County Public Schools was named one of the 2020 Best Communities for Music Education for outstanding support of music education enriching the lives of children and advancing student achievement.
Some of Queen Anne’s County Public Schools music teachers. Kent Island High School’s Kim Mogensen is shown holding up the award certificate.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
2020 Best Communities for Music Education
Queen Anne’s County Public Schools was named one of the 2020 Best Communities for Music Education for outstanding support of music education enriching the lives of children and advancing student achievement.
CENTREVILLE — Queen Anne’s County Public Schools has just been awarded the title one of “the 2020 Best Communities for Music Education. This is a national honor and the first time in history that QACPS has made this prestigious list. Just 754 school districts nationwide were selected, and QACPS was one of only six districts in Maryland selected.
The award program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education.
Kim Mogensen, Kent Island High’s director of bands, spearheaded the application process, collaborating with other music educators across the district (PK-12) to collect and compile the data from all school levels and submit QACPS for this honor. She was quick to share this news, and said she was extremely thankful to all the music teachers, all the students, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Andrea Kane and the Board of Education for supporting music education in Queen Anne’s County.
“I’m holding back the TEARS OF JOY because WE DID IT!!” Mogensen shared in an email to Fine Arts Supervisor Michael Bell. “I’m feeling so many things right now, but I’m mostly relieved the work was all for this moment! We are officially recognized at a national level among 754 other districts for our music programs. I want to scream this from the rooftops!”
Bell quickly shared this excitement with Kane and Deputy Superintendent Greg Pilewski, who both said they were extremely proud of this groundbreaking national accomplishment.
“In the midst of everyone managing so many moving parts during this COVID-19 crisis, great news like this just brings to the forefront the importance the arts play in all of our lives,” Bell said. “It’s that human component. It’s the creative way we express ourselves, and provides a constructive way to deal with all we are going through right now. The support we have for the music community is tremendous in Queen Anne’s County and I give all the outstanding music teachers who helped her compile all the data all the credit in the world for making this honor possible. They do it day in and day out for their students, and for everyone in the community. They always make everyone so proud.”
Mogensen added, “I am fortunate to work in a county with colleagues who are experts in their field and have developed programs worthy of this honor.”
Share the news on social media, or a favorite picture of your favorite “musical moment” from this year using these hashtags #BestCommunitiesforMusicEducation #MDArtsUnite #MusicIsLife
“As Dr. Kane put it last Easter, from a video taping at WBAL TV studios in Baltimore while promoting the arts, ‘Art is exploding in Queen Anne’s County,’” Bell said. “And the arts will find a way to continue thriving in Queen Anne’s County, no matter what challenges we all face.”
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